Windows to the Soul
by lalalei
Summary: Eyes are said to be windows to the soul, and the stories behind the creation of Duel Monsters cards-some with the Eye, some without-offer a glimpse at the many facets of Maximillion Pegasus.
1. The Unhappy Girl and The Unhappy Maiden

Sometimes the Eye gave him visions so strong it was all Pegasus could do to heed them in time, his mind consumed with the desire to paint creatures exactly as he saw them lest they overwhelm his senses. Other times the visions were less urgent, but still present, patiently nudging the back of his brain with an ache that lingered until he sated them with hours at an easel. And other times the Millennium Item left him to his own devices, giving Pegasus room for creations all his own.

This time was one of the latter. He sketched his work first, unsure how to begin but knowing the feeling of inspiration, and came away with a drawing of a woman. There was a mournful look to her even then, he later recalled, but at the time Pegasus paid more attention to her face, the style and length of her hair. When a basic pose had been worked out—sitting in a field, staring at the sky, blossoms falling around her, a basket between her legs—he set to detailing the rest of her.

The hair, Pegasus decided, would be orange, the dress a blue not dissimilar to Cecelia's. The eyes were likewise blue, but as he began to paint Pegasus happened to glance at the portrait of his wife. It was only a glance, but enough for him to decide the contents of the girl's basket—roses.

Roses like the ones she loved, he thought, using quick, angry strokes to color the background. A setting sun, cast in orange and yellow, ephemeral and never the same twice. Cherry blossoms scattering in the wind, a sign of fleeting, beautiful life cut much too short. The girl was thin; too thin, barely making enough to get by. Still, he kept her eyes to the sky, her face daring to hope.

Pegasus was satisfied with his work, but there was a nudge at the back of his mind—he couldn't tell if it was the Eye, some desperate, bitter part of himself, or both—that urged him to continue the story.

Yes, he thought, sketching a second image. He would take it to its logical conclusion. The same girl, years later and even thinner, sitting morosely on a street corner, the lights behind her warm but only her flowers for comfort. Were he in a better mood perhaps life would be kinder, but Pegasus was lost in the memories of Cecelia he did have and the memories they could have made had she had more time.

Roses. Delicate, beautiful, so easily scattered in the winds.

From there the rest followed naturally—in the first painting the girl was innocent still, but he knew it was only for so long. Time and weight and life would wear her down, inexorably, crushing her as surely as his own innocence was crushed at his love's passing.

It was a cruel painting, he thought, raw and unforgiving. Cecelia might scold him for such cynicism, were she alive, but that was _it_ , wasn't it? Life was unforgiving; happiness was as fragile as the roses she loved so much.

And yet, he thought, a person who would dare harm her was crueler still. For the more hopeful one, Pegasus decided that she would stay on the battlefield and keep opposing monsters from attacking, so long as she stood straight and proud as she could manage—and for the grimmer piece, whoever attacked would have their battle phase ended immediately, giving them no chance to continue.

Comparing the two, Pegasus felt satisfied at last, as if the ache in his heart had needed space to vent, to grow. Misery loves company, his thought distantly, though a small part of him, soon silenced, preferred the quiet hope of the first painting.

He dreamt of roses as he slept that night, and smelled them when he woke.

* * *

 _Cards: The Unhappy Girl; The Unhappy Maiden_

* * *

 _This is something a little different than what I normally do-I'm making this an anthology series of sorts about the cards Pegasus makes :) If you want me to go into how Pegasus made a specific card or cards let me know which one! I don't think they'll all be this sad but you never know XD_


	2. The Condemned Maiden

Ah, Pandora. Beautiful, curious Pandora was a prime lesson in 'curiosity killed the cat'; if not for her and her box all of mankind's ills would be locked up tight. It was from this tale that Pegasus gained the inspiration for the "Forbidden" series of spell cards.

But unlike the naive Pandora, who could hardly conceive of what troubles lay in the box, each card showed a woman tampering with what she _knew_ she shouldn't-a chalice, a lance, a dress, a scripture book, all forbidden for a reason.

And one day, as the Eye itched at his brain, Pegasus knew it was time for the maiden to reap what she'd sown.

Before, she'd been unmarred; a red flower in her hair, a flowing white dress, hair that gently touched her shoulders. And while her new form was still beautiful, she derived no pleasure from the consequences of her actions-cruel horns loping out of her head, bat-like wings with scattered feathers that made him think of fallen angels, claws for hands, a ragged, torn dress. A cloak to hide what she'd become.

Pegasus was almost finished with the card, drawing her plaintive, silent cry for release, for forgiveness, when the thought struck him. Something wasn't quite right; something was a bit out of place.

He glanced at the mirror, and knew what it was in an instant.

There, he thought, setting the brush down.

For her curiosity, for her meddling with dangerous magic, the girl now bore an eyepatch where a healthy eye once was.

Pegasus stared at the drawing, stared at himself, and couldn't help but laugh.

Perhaps he had more Pandora in him than he thought.

* * *

 _Card: The Condemned Maiden  
_


	3. Thorn Princess and Fairy Tail Rella

While looking over his fan mail, Pegasus paused at yet another letter from Leon von Schroeder. While most of his previous letters were glowing with admiration, this one kindly requested he make cards about fairy tales, as the boy loved them enough to imagine his own stories and felt like the characters were his only friends.

Touched at the request, and a fan of such tales himself, Pegasus set to work. While some designs and names came easily—Little Red Riding Hood, Tom Thumb, Cinderella—others, such as Hexe Trude and Iron Hans, were less forthcoming.

Pegasus continued to work, looking at a book for inspiration, and his eyes fell on the tale of Snow White. A jolt ran through him at the sight of Snow White in her coffin, even though he knew in all accounts the princess eventually woke.

No, not her; perhaps Sleeping Beauty instead; she slumbered for 100 years or more in her castle, and while earlier versions were quite dark and inappropriate—most of the tales were, to be fair—even the redressed, softer tale had a darkness to it, perhaps more so than the others, for it was less in plain sight.

For one, he thought, there were the thorns surrounding the castle, an impenetrable hedge maze that killed those who came near. For another, while the princess slept unaging the world around her changed; in some versions the town had been put under the sleeping spell, while in others she would logically wake to find everything around her gone.

Some tales had wondered if she even wanted to wake, he thought, possibly having such beautiful dreams. There was also the possibility of nightmares, and Pegasus shuddered to think on living through a bad dream for 100 years. Then there was the matter of the princess's family and friends—assuming she had friends, being raised away from the palace by fairies—and how they would react, or not react, to her curse. The fairies' gifts, as well, meant she was supernaturally beautiful and charming—one couldn't help but fall in love with her, and he could only hope she put those talents to _good_ use.

And then, Pegasus thought, painting a princess with long teal hair, there was the matter of the prince, who had nothing better to do than succeed where everyone else had failed. In the earliest versions he wasn't without troubles himself, having an ogre for a mother, and Pegasus idly wondered how Aurora had fared after she woke and went to her husband's kingdom. Just because the later tales omitted it didn't mean it wasn't _there,_ lurking.

By the time he'd stopped ruminating he looked up from his brush and found himself smiling. The Thorn Princess—he decided her name in an instant—had a mischievous look to her, proud and strong, and the thorns that were her namesake were part of her crown, rippling around her body like water, as support. She was one of the fey, in magic if not by blood, he thought, and Pegasus gave her the ability to charm an opponent, cajole them to her side.

Having done that, Pegasus felt it was time for a break. He turned to his easel again and began to paint, this time a fluffy, cartoonish dog princess, based on Cinderella. Sparkles and bubbles filled the background, and he knew almost instantly it was a lighter piece.

She was humanoid but still distinctly animal, wearing glass slippers on her back paws, and her dress was a minty green while her fur color was blue—it reminded him of a children's cartoon he'd seen. Her fluffy tail took up a lot of the drawing, almost on accident, but he allowed the mistake, turning it into a design.

Fluffy tails meant fairy tales, or fairy tails, Pegasus thought, laughing at his own joke.

Birds circled her like in several versions of the tale, but these bluebirds were too sweet to peck eyes out, though this Cinderella had a touch of a haughty edge to her—barely noticeable, but still there if you looked. She needed a distinctive name, and Pegasus gave her the name Fairy Tail Rella.

Pegasus hoped Leon would be satisfied regardless, but found he was wondering, too, about Rella and her story. He wondered if such fairy tales existed in her world, as they did in his, and found himself adding a book to the illustration, tied with a patched-together ribbon.

He'd make it a series of cartoon animals, he decided. While the traditional fairy tale cards were quite different from this series, they shared the same origin, and all the cards would go to children all around the world.

And, for his own inner child, he'd keep a set for himself.

* * *

 _Cards: Thorn Princess; Fairy Tail Rella_


	4. Arkana's Dark Magician

The Eye shivered slightly and began to glow, and Pegasus braced himself for the oncoming vision. In seconds his mind was transported back to a time when people used monsters for real; for war.

He saw a red-robed figure fighting what looked to be the Dark Magician he'd made a while ago, drawing from a similar vision and an image on a stone tablet. At first he was confused, but in seconds he understood—it wanted him to transcribe the _other_ person to a card.

The vision zoomed in on the figure enough for Pegasus to catch finer details—purple eyes, grey, almost silvery hair, gold and white trim on the robes, a perpetual sneer on his face. Unlike the Magician, he didn't have a staff, but there was still an aura of power surrounding him.

Then it abruptly ended, and Pegasus lay on the floor, wiping sweat from his forehead. The Eye began to grow warm, and he turned to his work immediately. Lingering too long, he knew, would make the Item unbearably hot, and the visions would be all he'd see until he sated the Item with work.

At first he attempted to sketch the figure as he saw it, but found his hands stilled in the effort. It seemed the Millennium Eye, for whatever reason, didn't want the thief—how had he _known_ it was a thief—to be directly copied to a card. Grimacing at the ache that had formed in his mind, Pegasus tried to think of an alternative.

His mind's eye fell on the Dark Magician, the color of the thief's robes, and an idea struck him—as they were apparent rivals in life, so would they be in the cards. Pegasus turned to his original Dark Magician sketch for reference on the body, but they differed greatly in coloring and tone—where the regular Magician had a stern, loyal gaze this one's was a sinister grin, backed in a pale green.

There were differences, as well—the red Magician's hair was a shade darker and longer than the thief's had been, and there was a lack of white trim on the robes—but for the most part it was similar enough to the thief to satisfy the Eye, and different enough to ease its apparent worry.

He'd release this card separately from its counterpart, Pegasus thought, adding an emerald-green staff to complete the card. What was a magician, after all, without magic?

* * *

 _Card: Arkana's Dark Magician_


	5. Kaibaman

Pegasus found himself sketching a warrior one day, and at first the depiction was stereotypical—shining armor, a proud chin, and a grin that called movie serials to mind. But a slope in the helmet and familiar shoulders changed the composition completely, and he found himself staring at a man with dragon's head armor.

In an instant Pegasus knew it was a Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and a dot of blue for the eye completed the basic look.

The warrior, or hero, rather, was another story. The sleeves brought Seto Kaiba to mind, easily, but an exact likeness was grounds for a lawsuit, which he could afford financially but not spare the time. Pegasus altered the details, then. He'd keep the superhero facial features and Kaiba's pants and trench coat, but the shirt would be red, the sleeves and gauntlets spiked.

Now it just needed more fine-tuning, and a name.

Perhaps something like those live-action superheroes, but instead of _Ultraman_ , this one would be Kaibaman. Pegasus chuckled mischievously at the thought, giving the warrior long hair—at first in Kaiba's usual shade, but he soon changed it, adding a red tint to match the shirt.

The final touch was a Duel Monsters card clenched in Kaibaman's hand, ready to strike at a moment's notice. As for the card's effect, what else could it be but summoning one of Kaiba's dear Blue-Eyes? Even now Pegasus knew how he'd strived to collect the three he had, and the price his opponents had paid. Surely those who knew of Kaiba would be in on the joke, especially little Yugi-boy.

And, he thought morbidly, the Millennium Eye glowing at the thought, the Kaibaman card would make a fine memorial piece once _he_ was through with Kaiba-boy.

* * *

 _Card: Kaibaman_


	6. Change of Heart

Today the Eye's pull was less urgent, but still noticeable, so after a short break Pegasus set to work. This vision in his mind's eye was murky at first, and he was unsure whether it was a monster, trap, or spell. The color green crystallized around the form, signifying magic; one problem solved, at least.

Pegasus squinted, trying to see further, and after a moment the figure became clear—at first the figure seemed androgynous, but peering closer he saw it was a young woman, half-angel, half-demon, her own heart resting in her hands.

Inspired, he turned to the easel, and the card took shape. The hair was a beautiful, golden yellow, shorter in the front. The angel wing was white and feathered, the demon wing dark purple, almost black, and the girl's entire being was divided in two, one side tinted and darker than the other. The background likewise was half-purple, half-orange, and her heart was slightly smaller, almost shriveling, on the devil side. Her robes were light blue, almost white.

But it was the girl's face that gave Pegasus the most pause. She seemed utterly content in _not_ choosing between her sides, neither here nor there, forever contemplating. The name came to him in a flash—Change of Heart, and from there the spell card's powers followed naturally.

The girl represented potential and allure all in one, he thought, and so he decided her ability would be to coax an opposing monster to her side for a turn—originally he thought for the rest of the game, but it seemed too final a choice, both for her and her opponent.

There was a sadness to her, too, he noted, almost as if she didn't want to pick between good and evil.

But whichever side won, Pegasus mused, depended more on the player who used her. The Change of Heart was but a catalyst; the real battle, the one that mattered, took place outside the card game.

Somewhere inside him, Pegasus felt the same pull as the Eye shimmered, half in the light, half in the shadows.

* * *

 _Card: Change of Heart_


	7. Dark Magician Girl

The Eye let him see certain things so easily about the apprentice mage—the bounce in her steps, her magic abilities, her energy and passion for life. How easily she cried and laughed in equal measure. Her relative innocence.

But it refused to tell him her name. Pegasus wasn't sure why it bothered him at first—many monsters didn't have proper names, and that included the Dark Magician he'd made from the snippets he'd seen of her master.

They were real people once, at least those two. He thought, turning over the visions in his mind. He'd have to make changes, of course—the robes a different color, identical to the monster she summoned instead of the girl herself. Pegasus wondered if that monster had a name as well, or if it matched her own.

He squinted, trying to see and hear, and the Eye, for once, obliged.

The spirit monster's name he _was_ able to hear, at least, and the Dark Magician's apprentice became Dark Magician Girl. The girl's loyalty to her master and the all-too-brief visions of her crying before a tablet of some kind inspired her effect.

She would gain power for every Dark Magician in the graveyard, making herself stronger through loss. She would be a worthy addition to any deck, supported even further with spells and traps.

But he still didn't know the girl's name, and it haunted him.

Later, he found out why.

It reminded him of how none save himself had known Cecelia's name after she died.

* * *

 _Card: Dark Magician Girl_


	8. Gemini Elf and Toon Gemini Elf

Today he drew from the heart, and the sketch that resulted tugged at Pegasus's soul in an abstract way. Two girls, intertwined more closely than friends or lovers; they could only be sisters, and from the decision he drew from the constellation Gemini; they would be in perfect sync with one another. A slip with the pen made the ears too big, but it was just as well, and he decided they were elves.

The newly named Gemini Elf card had a mournful look as the women clasped hands, facing the world together, and Pegasus took care to make the twins similar yet distinctive. One wearing blue and white, the other purple; one with fair hair and the other orange; one with light skin and the other darker; one with sleeves, the other sleeveless. Both had runes on their faces, and the ears were the same length, as were the facial structures and hair.

Privately, he even nicknamed them: Lora the blonde and Kachua the brunette. Two girls ready to take on the world, he thought, and so Pegasus gave them 1900 ATK with no drawbacks aside from a low 900 DEF.

Days later, another inspiration struck: The same girls, but in his favorite style—cartoons! Pegasus set to work eagerly, and he knew this project would be fun. They'd be summoned the same way as his other Toon cards did—through the funtastic magic of Toon World.

The composition of the card was similar but the proportions were exaggerated, and while the Gemini Elves had stood proud and fierce these ones were proud and sultry, winking flirtatiously and blowing kisses to their chosen duelist, still forever in sync.

The eyes were large enough for distinct colors, and Pegasus relished giving Lora blue eyes and Kachua magenta. A surreal background completed the image, and comparing the two he was almost satisfied.

Toons should have _more_ for being summoned in such a manner, Pegasus thought until it itched at his brain. Thinking on the summoning conditions, he decided the Toon Gemini Elf could attack an opponent directly and discard one of their cards, making it quite useful in the right hands.

To balance the effect they couldn't attack the turn they were summoned, and would leave the field if Toon World was destroyed, but _getting_ to attack could be devastating to an opponent.

Now, comparing them side-by-side, Pegasus felt satisfied at last.

Like the elves themselves, the Gemini Elf and Toon Gemini Elf cards were non-identical twins.

* * *

 _Cards: Gemini Elf; Toon Gemini Elf_

* * *

 _The names Lora and Kachua come from the Falsebound Kingdom video game._


End file.
